TECUMSEH — Had the Tecumseh High School football team started slow in its 49-0 playoff-clinching win over the Dexter Dreadnaughts on Friday, the reasons may have been plenty.

It was homecoming. Dexter had beaten them last year. And the Indians were going after win No. 6 to clinch a playoff berth. Coach Al Romano shouldn't have worried, but that's not to say he didn't.

"To be honest, I was worried all week about homecoming, the fact we haven't had a close game, and our quarterback hasn't really had to play in the fourth quarter all year," said Romano. "But these kids are great. They played great tonight, and I'm extremely happy for them."

Tecumseh now stands at 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the SEC White Division, while Dexter remains winless. The Indians put on a dominating show for the large homecoming crowd and will be making their first playoff appearance since 2007.

Tecumseh wasted no time in establishing control. Dexter received the ball, starting their offense on their own 20-yard line. Three plays later, the Dreadnaughts punted, and the Indians started their possession from their own 43-yard line. On their first play from scrimmage, quarterback Ben Dreslinski dropped back and found Spencer Adams streaking down the right sideline. Dreslinski hit his target and 57 yards later, Adams was in the end zone. After Casey Hunt kicked the extra point, Tecumseh had a 7-0 lead less than three minutes into the game.

After the kickoff, Dexter again started from their own 20-yard line. This was a common theme for the Dreadnaughts. Of their seven possessions in the first half, six of them started from their own 22-yard line or worse. Once again the Indians forced a punt. This time Tecumseh started from the Dexter 37.

Dreslinski again dropped back on the first play, and this time found Kyle Bryan streaking down the field and hit him for a 37-yard touchdown. Another extra point by Hunt, who was a perfect 7 for 7 on the night, and the Indians quickly grabbed a 14-0 lead.

Tecumseh's offense had enough time to add another score before the first quarter ended. Dreslinski found Adams again, this time from 39 yards out, and the Indians were up by 21 as the first quarter ended.

The Indians offense has shined this year, but the defense made a statement themselves, and they have certainly been noticed by Romano.

"The biggest turnaround in our team this year has been our defense," said Romano. "They have been keeping everything in front of them, have made tackles and avoided the big play."

Dexter tried to get some things going offensively in the second quarter through the air. Quarterback Matt Mitchell dropped back 20 times in the first half alone, completing 12 passes, but almost all were short out patterns. Even though the Dreadnaughts had eight first downs in the half, they really only threatened to score once, and that was nixed by a Devin Moore interception. On the night, the Indians picked off four of Mitchell's passes.

Page 2 of 2 - While the defense was doing their work, Dreslinski was busy adding to his numbers. After throwing for three touchdowns in the first quarter, he used his legs to score two more in the second on touchdown runs of 4 and 32 yards. Tecumseh went into halftime leading 35-0.

With a running clock in the second half, time zipped off. The Tecumseh starters were in for one possession in the third quarter, which was capped with a John Terry 5- yard touchdown run. However, the Indians added another score in the quarter on a run by Spencer Hite, this time from 15 yards out.

That ended the scoring for the night, but not before Dexter made an attempt to reach the end zone. If not for a superb effort by the Indians Charlie Haesler, the shutout by the Tecumseh defense would have been over.

Late in the fourth quarter, Dexter receiver Zack Bollstetter took in a pass near the Dexter bench and found himself alone along the sideline. As he raced down field for what looked like a sure touchdown, Haesler tracked him down, timed his dive and tripped him up 62 yards later around the 20-yard line. The score would not have had an impact on the outcome of the game, but the play was meaningful to Romano.

"That is what we want to be," said Romano of Haesler's effort. "Charlie is playing out of position, but he's been playing well all year, and he makes a great play."

For the first time in five years, the Indians are in the playoffs.

"I'm so happy for the kids, the community, and to be honest, there are a lot of people responsible for making this happen," said Romano. "I'm just blessed to be the guy talking to you about it."